Explosive Eruption Possible in the Philippines: Taal Volcano

1/15/2020

500,000 residents around the Taal Volcano located in the Philippines have been living on edge since Sunday, January 12th 2020– The day the regions 2nd most active volcano started erupting. There is a possibility the volcanic eruption could intensify, putting thousands of lives in danger. Scientists are unsure at this time which direction the volcano will go which has everyone on edge.

Taal Volcano is capable of many deadly hazards if its current activity intensifies. Steam-driven eruptions were the behind the initial eruption of Taal, which causes ashes to shoot high in the sky. The danger this poses is the fact that Taal is surrounded by two bodies of water and an underground hydrothermal system, which can lead to the steam pressurizing until it explodes if it comes in contact with magma and lava. The two bodies of water that surround Taal also raise a flag for the risk of a tsunami, which could be triggered by the volcano collapsing into the lake OR by a large wave of volcanic matter and debris reaching the water.

Volcanologists are keeping a close eye on the volcano’s activity, but cannot determine what the outcome will be at this time. Using different instruments such as GPS around the volcano to detect ground expansion, and tracking seismic signals, all precautions are being taken to keep up with Taal’s activity and keeping residents safe. Action has been taken by authorities to evacuate residents near by, in case the volcano decides to take a turn for the worse. Please keep the residents affected by Taal in your thoughts, as this must be an unimaginably, nerve wrecking, scary time for everyone.

Click the link for the full article by Andrea Thompson! https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-taal-volcano-explosively-erupt-heres-what-scientists-are-watching/

Thompson, Andrea. “Will Taal Volcano Explosively Erupt? Here’s What Scientists Are Watching.” Scientificamerican.com, 14 January 2020, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-taal-volcano-explosively-erupt-heres-what-scientists-are-watching/